Sunday, June 6, 2010

Has President Obama Really "Lost the Left"


Writing in the Telegraph, Toby Harnden posits that Obama loses the Left: suddenly, it's cool to bash Barack.  Harnden states that with the exception of Paul McCartney, who infamously puppy dogged Obama with big wet kisses while showing his ignorance (and ass) about President George W. Bush, the Left is now openly criticizing Obama:

Well, at least he's still got Sir Paul McCartney. At the White House last week, the 67-year-old crooner was gushing in much the same manner as his own groupies did at Shea Stadium in 1965. "I'm a big fan, he's a great guy," McCartney told American critics of President Barack Obama. "So lay off him, he's doing great."

Later, McCartney serenaded the First Lady with a rendition of Michelle and, receiving a prize from the Library of Congress, took a cheap shot at President George W Bush that was as unfunny as it was unoriginal. “After the last eight years, it’s great to have a president who knows what a library is.” Bush. Doesn’t read books. Stupid. Geddit?

The problem for the President is that even if the former Beatle does speak for billions, the overwhelming majority of those are overseas. Polls show that around 10 per cent of those who voted for Obama in 2008 now disapprove of his performance and the heavy turnout of young people and black voters among the 69 million who back him will not be repeated again.
McCartney's cute little slam at President Bush backfired.  As several people pointed out, President Bush holds a Harvard MBA and Mrs. Bush holds a Master's degree in Library Science, whereas, McCartney sings well.

The point is, the Left is beginning to openly grumble about The Anointed One but will they, when the rubber hits the road, walk away from him?  No.  No way.  Not even if all of bloody Hell freezes over.  The Left would rather stick with a president who has shown himself to be totally incompetent than admit that their Leftist ideology is a non-starter.  So the Left sticks with "it is the messaging, not the messenger" tripe while the United States sinks. 

Harnden is correct that Obama has lost millions of voters, but they were in the center, not on the left.  Large numbers of voters who fell for Obama's bait and switch now realize that they helped elect a Jimmy Carter level national disaster.  Those voters won't be back but the grumblers on the Left will eventually zip their lips and march like lemmings off the Obama cliff again.  Sadly, stupid really is as stupid does.

Photo of Obama looking like a dejected seven year old courtesy of Don Surber.

H/T Memeorandum

4 comments:

yukio ngaby said...

I'm not so sure about the Left sticking by Obama. I think that as their agendas become more and more unpopular, they'll toss Obama aside.

It's much easier for them to just blame Obama personally then to admit that their agendas are unpopular and unworkable.

Carol said...

I don't thnk that the Left feels any loyalty to Obama but the question becomes-who will they toss him aside for? I'm not seeing a viable alternative.

On the other hand, I am not a Lefty so I may be overlooking their next great Messiah.

yukio ngaby said...

It's not to find another messiah, it's to save their belief in their cause and goals.

The Left's beliefs created the Obama-messiah image. Obama didn't manage to create it himself. I mean, look at how ugly the Dem primary was. Obama's actions didn't create the great healer image there-- but it came about anyway.

Carol said...

The Left was able to create a Messiah because Obama was such an unknown. There are plenty of blank canvases out there but I am not sure the Left can pull it off again. I would like to think that people won't be so easily fooled, or charmed, anytime soon.

The Left's ideas are bankrupt but they cling to them as staunchly now as they ever have. And while it is true that we are hearing some grumbling from the Left about Obama, the complaints center around how he is handling the messaging rather than either the message is wrong or that the messenger sucks.